James Allen, an online retailer specializing in diamond engagement ring opens it's first brick-and-mortar store in the heart of Georgetown, DC. With the pink heart in it's logo and the sparkly window display, this quaint store will never go unnoticed. The minute you step into the store, you are transported to an episode of Breakfast at Tiffany's, where everything is sparkly and pristine and eye- appealing.
There is more to this store, than meets the eyes. Think ace customer service, a virtual reality experience, a coffee bar, a lounging couch and huge TV screens. It's like giving you the virtual shopping experience from the comfort of your home, but the home being a physical store.
I am thankful to James Allen and the team for inviting me to partake their opening celebrations. I got to chit-chat with the owner Oded Edelman and a few expert staff to gain a knowhow of this business-model and an insider guide to buying diamond rings and the also current trends in the diamond industry.
SHOP MY OUTFIT
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The event was really intimate with a handful of media companies, local influencers and friends and families of James Allen. There was hors d'oeuvres, cupcakes and manicure stations, in addition to all the sparkle and shine.
A little about their store business model
The main idea behind opening the store was to give customers the ability to touch, feel and shop with confidence. Online shopping has become a rage with the millennials, but when you are talking about thousands of dollars, everyone wants a piece of mind. In an effort to do so, they've tried to recreate a familiar comfortable set up, with couch, coffee bar and TV screens. Grab a cup of coffee, sit by the couch, chat with your SA and experience engagement-ring-shopping like never before. There is minimal locks around the store to give you full access to all their inventory. While they specialize in custom-made engagement rings, you might also come across earrings, pendants, bracelets and ornate gold jewelry.
4 C's to remember when shopping for a diamond
The virtual reality experience was an eye opener. It was a detailed walkthrough of the 4 C's namely Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut, you should be aware of when in the market for buying a diamond ring.
Refer to the chart for some basics on these 4 C's. -the higher the Carat value, the higher the price. -same for Clarity. Diamonds with least imperfections are always expensive. -when it comes to Color, alphabets are used to denote the colors- D, E, F for colorless and S-Z for yellows. The lower the alphabet in the chart, the clearer the diamond will be and the higher it's price will be. -there are five different diamond Cuts, namely round ( the most expensive), princess, oval, radiant and pear in the chronological order of their market value.
New trends in the diamond industry While majority still prefers the classic cuts and styles, there are people who like variations and more contemporary, newer designs. For instance coloreddiamonds: people now opt for colored diamonds as their main stone on their ring. If not as the main gem, then a wedding band with colorful diamonds is becoming a popular trend. The jewelers are experimenting with mixing metals to make standout pieces. Another trend is the varying east-seat orientation, wherein the alignment of the accent stone will not be the center, but a little off-center, giving the ring or any jewelry piece an interesting perspective.
Hope you found this diamond buying guide helpful. So the next time you are in the market for a diamond ring or any diamond jewelry, do check out James Allen- you won't be disappointed!
